Passenger airbag module deployment door attachment system

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of motor vehicle airbag systems. More specifically the present invention relates to an attachment system for attaching an airbag module to a molded plastic deployment door.

BACKGROUND

A typical passenger airbag deployment assembly comprises an airbag module (including inflator, inflatable cushion and reaction canister) and a deployment door which interfaces with the module and with a vehicle surface facing toward a seated occupant's position, for example such vehicle surface may be the vehicle instrument panel. To provide a good matching fit and finish the deployment door usually is made of a plastic material similar to the instrument panel or other adjacent surface area in which the deployment door is mounted.

During a deployment, the door is designed either to detach and pivot or swing out of the way or to split at the surface and swing open for allowing an inflatable cushion (often called an "airbag") to pass through the resulting opening. Since deployment forces are very high, the attachment system between the airbag module and the deployment door must be very reliable. Generally attachment systems for passenger airbag modules which perform this function of attaching a module to a deployment door require an array of multiple fasteners to insure structural performance. Consequently, completion of installation in a vehicle of such prior attachment systems with their array of multiple fasteners has been time-consuming and difficult.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an attachment system for securely attaching an airbag module to a molded plastic deployment door which overcomes or substantially reduces disadvantages of prior attachment systems and eliminates the need for an array of multiple fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention is shown embodied in a deployment door to airbag module attachment system which is strong enough to withstand high deployment forces, economical to manufacture, enables use of a relatively small packaging envelope, is easy to assemble and requires only one band type of fastener.

The attachment system as shown comprises three major components: 1) a molded plastic deployment door with attachment legs extending rearwardly from a front wall of the deployment door; 2) the airbag module with interlockable means shown as sidewall channels; and 3) an attachment band set.

The molded plastic deployment door can be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on interface requirements associated with an adjacent surface of a vehicle such as the instrument panel. The important features, as they relate to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, are attachment legs extending rearwardly from a front wall of the deployment door and each having an interlockable section, shown as a protruding section. The interlockable sections of the attachment legs are matable in interlocking relationship with cooperating interlockable sections on walls of the airbag module. The latter interlockable sections are shown as channels, for receiving protruding sections of respective attachment legs. Band set channels are provided for receiving attachment bands which are applied for holding the interlockable sections of the attachment legs in secure interlocked relationship with the interlockable sections of the walls of the airbag module. These band set channels are shown formed in the attachment legs in alignment with and overlying the protruding sections of the attachment legs.

The preferred configuration of the band set channels is a convex-formed arc profile. The convex profile may be described as generally thicker through the middle and thinner at the ends. This arc configuration creates a resultant distributed clamping force for the band set which helps firmly to secure the protruding section of each attachment leg into a respective wall channel on the airbag module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with further objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are not drawn to scale with the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Like reference numerals indicate like elements or like components throughout the different views.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with the general description set forth above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an airbag module assembly including a molded deployment door at the left and an airbag module (including inflator, inflatable cushion and reaction canister) at the right.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the airbag module assembly of FIG. 1 showing the molded deployment door with its attachment legs at the left, the airbag module at the right and a pair of attachment bands near the center, which may be called "an attachment band set".

FIG. 3 is an enlarged edge view of an arcuate portion of an attachment band.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 in FIG. 1 (and also taken along the planes 4-4 in FIGS. 6 and 7) showing the convex arcuate configuration of a band installed in its channel, which has a convex arc profile.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view similar to FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the convex arc profile of the band channel created by a plurality of spaced ribs of different heights.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the plane 6--6 in either FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 near the center of an interlocking attachment joint showing details of the interlocked joint.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view similar to FIG. 6, except that FIG. 7 is taken along the plane 7--7 in either FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 near an end of the interlocking attachment joint.

FIG. 8 is a perspective front view of the molded plastic deployment door unit with its attachment legs and showing an opened door in dashed outline. The opened door is shown detached along three edges from the front wall of the molded plastic unit, and it is shown pivoted (or swung) out of the way for allowing an inflatable cushion to pass through the resulting opening.

FIG. 9 is a perspective front view similar to FIG. 8, except that the opened door is shown in dashed outline as comprising two mirror-image halves. The front wall of the molded plastic deployment door unit has split along a centerline, thereby providing two door halves each of which has detached along two side edges, and they are shown pivoted (or swung) out of the way for allowing an inflatable cushion to pass through the resulting opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 is shown an airbag deployment assembly 10 comprising a molded plastic deployment door unit 12 attached to an airbag module 14 by a pair of attachment bands 16, which may be called an attachment band set. These two bands 16 function independently of each other. This band set 16, 16 provides clamping force for assuring integrity of an interlocking joint located at 18, between the deployment door unit 12 and the airbag module 14. This interlocking joint 18 will be described in detail later. By design only one band 16 is generally sufficient for providing a reliably secure interlocked joint 18. Two independently functioning bands may be used for redundancy or increased locking force.

The airbag module 14 comprises an inflator 20, a reaction canister 22 containing the inflator and an inflatable cushion 24 (FIG. 2) packed into the canister. The canister has an exit 25 at the front for allowing the cushion (airbag) 24 to deploy as shown by arrow 39 (FIG. 2) from the canister as the cushion is being inflated. The reaction canister 22 is shown having an upper wall 26 in spaced parallel relationship with a lower wall (not seen), and the exit 25 is located between front portions of these walls. The canister also has spaced, parallel sidewalls 28 (only one is seen) with the exit being located between front portions of these sidewalls. The upper and lower walls 26 are wider than the sidewalls 28, and thus the upper and lower walls may be considered to be main walls of the reaction canister 22.

In order to mount the deployment assembly 10 in a vehicle, the sidewalls 28 of the reaction canister 22 are shown having protruding mounting flanges 30 including mounting points 31, for example provided by openings in the flanges.

For convenience of description and understanding the terms "front", "forward" and the like, and the terms "rear", "rearward" and the like are employed with reference to the airbag deployment assembly 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. "Front" and "forward" means toward the left in those FIGS. Conversely, "rear" and "rearward" means toward the right in those FIGS. These convenient terms of description are not intended as limiting with respect to various possible mounting positions and orientations in which such deployment assemblies may be mounted in various vehicles.

The molded plastic deployment door unit 12 comprises a front wall 32 and attachment legs extending rearwardly from the front wall. There are spaced, parallel upper and lower attachment legs 34 (FIG. 2) and spaced, parallel side attachment legs 36. The upper and lower attachment legs 34 are wider than the side attachment legs 36 and thus may be considered to be a main pair of attachment legs. These pairs of attachment legs 34, 34 and 36, 36 surround a deployment passageway 38 (FIG. 2) which is aligned with the forwardly-facing exit 25 from the reaction canister 14.

These attachment legs 34, 34 and 36, 36 function in at least three desirable ways: 1) they provide four support surfaces effectively surrounding (encircling) the deployment passageway 38 for supporting and directing forwardly the high-energy, expanding cushion 24 during its deployment in the direction 39 from module exit 25 along passageway 38 and out through the deployment door 12; 2) these attachment legs absorb impact energy; and 3) the attachment legs provide reinforcement for stiffening the front wall 32 of the deployment door for long term durability of this plastic deployment door unit. The length and thickness of each attachment leg are designed in accordance with the intended location in a vehicle, for example in accord with the instrument panel envelope, i.e., available space, and strength requirements. In some vehicle installations, the side attachment legs 36 may be optional, depending upon configurations of the attachment door front wall 32 and main upper and lower attachment legs 34 and configurations of the airbag module 14.

The four walls 26 and 28 of the airbag module 14 are formed with pairs of spaced parallel ridges 40 on their outside surfaces for providing spaced channel walls for defining channels 42 between these paired ridges. The channels 42 are intended for receiving protruding sections or elements 44 of the four extending attachment legs, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for providing the interlocking joint 18.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the protruding sections (elements) 44 of the respective attachment legs 34, 34 and 36, 36 are located on their inside surfaces. These protruding sections are positioned on rearward portions of the attachment legs. The attachment legs are stiffly flexible with sufficient compliance for enabling engagement of respective protruding sections 44 into their respective mating channels 42 for assembling the interlocking joints 18.

In order to receive the band set 16, 16, there are channels 46 (FIG. 2) provided on the outside surfaces of the attachment legs. These band set channels 46 are aligned with the protruding sections 44 and overlie these sections.

Only two convenient steps are needed for assembling the deployment door unit 12 with the airbag module 14: (1) first the door unit 12 is pressed onto the module 14 by pressing on the front wall 32 of the door unit until the inwardly protruding section or element 44 of each attachment leg snaps into its respective mating sidewall channels 42; and then (2) the band set 16, 16 is installed in the band-receiving channels 46 and secured.

It is noted that the ridges 40 and channels 42 on the walls of the module 14 can be formed in a variety of ways depending upon the configuration of the module 14 and its canister 22 and the material of which the walls 26 and 28 are formed. For example, the channels 42 and their adjacent ridges 40 may be included in an extruded section of an aluminum extruded module. As another example, the channels 42 may be formed into sheet metal walls 26 and 28 of a module.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the channels 42 are shown formed normal to the module walls 26 and 28. As another example, the ridges 40 may be angled, for example a rearwardly-facing surface of the forward ridge 40 of the channel may slope for slightly overhanging the channel 42 as indicated by an angled dotted outline at 41 in FIGS. 6 and 7. Then, the forward surface of the protruding section or element 44 correspondingly may be angled for providing a mating hooking engagement in the interlocking joint. The forwardly-facing surface of the rear ridge 40 adjacent to the channel 42 and the rear surface of the protruding section 44 similarly may be angled as indicated at 43 in FIGS. 6 and 7. The angled surfaces at 43 are shown generally parallel with the angled surfaces at 41 for providing clearance for allowing the protruding element 44 to snap into the channel 42.

If the reader will imagine a geometric plane which is oriented perpendicular to the deployment direction 39, the reader will see that the channels 42 and the protruding sections 44 engaged in these channels for forming the interlocking joint 18 generally are oriented parallel with such an imaginary plane. In other words, the interlocking joint 18 encircles the deployment direction 39 and this joint lies in a plane which is perpendicular to this deployment direction for securely resisting deployment forces and reactions resulting from such forces.

In order to provide a clamping force distributed along the length of the installed band 16 as shown by arrows "F" in FIG. 3, each band 16 is installed in a convex arcuate configuration. Consequently, the tension force "T" in the installed band provides an inwardly-acting, clamping force F advantageously distributed along the length of the band overlying the length of the protruding section 44 as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Thus, this inwardly-acting clamping force is distributed along the circumference of the interlocked joint 18 which encircles the deployment passageway 38. For creating this convex arcuate configuration in the band 16, each band-receiving channel 46 has a convex-formed arc profile.

In FIG. 4 this convex arc profile is shown provided by a continuous arcuately curved band-seating surface 48 of each band-receiving channel 46. In other words, this convex profile may be described as generally thicker through the middle and thinner at the ends of the channel 46. In FIG. 5, this convex arc profile is shown provided by a plurality of spaced ribs 50 which are higher through a central region of this channel 46 and are progressively lower toward either end of this channel.

For keeping the bands 16 seated in parallel relation slightly spaced apart there is a narrow, raised, divider rib 47 (FIGS. 6 and 7) located between the band-receiving channels 46.

In FIG. 8, the front wall 32 of the molded plastic deployment door unit 12 is shown having a predetermined preformed, weakened detachment line extending along three edges 51, 52 and 53 of an openable door 54, i.e., having a broad U-shaped outline. The door is shown in dashed outline pivoted or swung open along a hinge line 56 for providing a doorway outlet 58 in the front wall 32. This doorway outlet 58 is located intermediate the pairs of spaced parallel attachment legs 34, 34 and 36, 36 so that the deployment passageway 38 (See also FIG. 2.) which is defined by these attachment legs is directly aligned with this doorway outlet.

In FIG. 9, the front wall 32 of the molded plastic deployment door unit 12 is shown having a predetermined, preformed weakened detachment line having a broad H-shaped outline 55 such that the front wall becomes split along the middle. Thus, the openable door has two mirror-image halves 54' and 54' shown in dashed outline. These door halves 54' are shown pivoted or swung open along respective hinge lines 56 for providing a doorway outlet 58 in the front wall 32. This doorway outlet 58 is located intermediate the pairs of spaced parallel attachment legs 34, 34 and 36, 36 so that the deployment passageway 38 (Also seen in FIG. 2.) is directly aligned with this doorway outlet.

Since other changes and modifications varied to fit particular vehicle requirements and environments will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the examples chosen for purposes of illustration, and includes all changes and modifications which do not constitute a departure from the true spirit and scope of this invention as claimed in the following claims and equivalents of claimed elements.